Monday, 31 December 2012

So you think that was it? Here's one last giveaway for 2012 to celebrate a wonderful year! I just started blogging again this year and I think this is a great way to say THANK YOU for following my adventures all the way!

Wednesday, 26 December 2012

Okay! So I am officially starting this challenge. I know this is soo late but I still want to do this.
Background on this challenge here.

Anyway, Day 1.. START!

1. Your first cosplay.
My very first cosplay is Yui Hirasawa of K-On!

Character background:
Yui Hirasawa is the main protagonist of the anime K-On!. She is the lead singer and guitarist of the band, Hokago Tea Time. She is a clumsy yet happy-go-lucky girl who did not have any knowledge in playing instruments for a band before entering the Light Music Club.

Cosplay background:
As you can see, there were many flaws on this cosplay. I was wearing stockings instead of black tights and my two yellow clips, Yui's accessories, are not as close to the ones in the anime. But it was nice to start dressing up for the first time and I instantly had a photographer and supporter: my mother. :)

Forgive the weird poses. I was truly a noob! :)

After this one, the plans kept on coming and I was loving the hobby more and more!

Sunday, 23 December 2012

Impulse buying leads me to this. I was just checking out the figures in a local game store when I spotted this goddess hiding behind the glass.

I was not actually planning on spending any cash that day but she was just so gorgeous and lonely inside the glass display that some evil, unseen jerk convinced me into buying it. (Okay, that unseen jerk is the figure collector ghost in me. LOL)

Anyway, I just wanted to post a couple of shots that I took one night. To eliminate excessive noise, I made use of the new tripod my mom bought for me for my video blogging. I love my mom! :)

C.C. is one of the main characters of Code Geass R2 Lelouch of the Rebellion. She is the one who gave Lelouch, the main character, his commanding power named Geass in exchange for something. What is it? Why don't you watch the anime to find out? :)

No spoilers here, of course!

I used my study lamp as the light and a green filter. I really thnk the color GREEN represents C.C.

My friend commented that this photo is so wrong. LOL

UPDATES:I won second place in in a Christmas party hosted by our club! Yaay! More on that soon!

Friday, 14 December 2012

December's task on Beauty Bloggers Headquarters is blog photography. I voted for this on the last poll and it won! I wanted to share a few things about how I take photos for my blog and maybe read others' methods too. That way, I can learn how to improve my photo blogging since it is mainly the category my blog falls.

Selca with a mirror.

What camera(s) do you use for your blog photography?

I mainly use my Canon EOS Rebel T3 camera since this is only my camera as of now. Sometimes I use my phone camera, Samsung Galaxy Pocket, at times when I am shooting my makeup work since it is easier for me to shoot selca (self-portrait photos) with a phone.

I mainly use natural light since my photos comes out good when I use it. Sometimes I use my study lamp if I shoot in the evening. It's not the best but it is still usable.

Do you use a lightbox (purchased or diy?)?

No. But I am planning to make one for my anime figure photography. I found some tutorials online and I can't wait to start!

Do you use a specific background?

I mostly use a plain background since it is best for products and such. It does not clutter the photo and when people see it, all eyes will be on the product, no distraction whatsoever.

What does your photographing setup usually looks like?

When I am shooting for my makeup works, I usually set up my mini studio composed of: the camera on the tripod connected via USB cable to the laptop, showing live view feed. This way, I can see and shoot my face and parts of it properly. When shooting products and such, just a camera with the product near a lighted window.

What is your top photographing tip for a beginner blogger?

You don't need a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera to shoot great photos. Start with a good point-and-shoot-camera and start taking great photos for your readers. Your words deserve it.

For fun: If you could upgrade your photographing equipment today, what would you buy?

I want a prime lens and a strobe set. I think those are the basic equipment a photographer should have.

Anyway, I am going to start tomorrow since today is the first day of a new rotation and I got a few things to fix before duty starts.

AND
Updates on my great weekend!

December 8, 2012
I visited the last day of Ateneo de Zamboanga Unuversity Fiesta 2012 (ATFEST 2012) and I actually named it "ATFEST Last Day Appreciation" in one of the videos that we recorded during one of the carnival rides in the school. It's with my friend and she's going to upload it soon. For now, here is a GIF to compensate that would-be late post:

I know we're crazy. We can't help it! :)

December 9, 2012And then, we costripped during the Tzu Chi One Mega Fair yesterday!

My friend said that cosplayers were invited so we packed our costumes and invaded the event. I was actually waiting for the pet show but it was cancelled due to some unknown reasons.

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Hey guys! At last I mustered all up my courage and made my very first Video Blog. This video is all about what I have in my everyday makeup kit. I usually bring this whenever I go out for classes or running errands and such.

Forgive everything about the video. I am no public speaker nor a video editor. I am still learning this art from the Internet and other video bloggers on youtube.

Constructive comments are very much needed! I want to improve my VLogging skills a lot. :)

I think I am going to film FAQs about my blog next. I hope I can do better next time!

What I love about this liner is that it's so easy to use and does not mess up when I applied it. It also dries off quickly, but it depends on how many swipes you do (quick dry for a couple of swipes!). Also, the liner is very black, which is a big YES for me. A few swipes and you have totally black line on your eyes!

Notice the face marks I have done? Well, what I also like about this liner is that it's perfect for applying face marks. The YANQINA pen liner is easy to use in drawing any markings needed when I am applying cosplay makeup which requires different face markings.

I was tigress (no particular anime character) and I used the liner to draw whiskers and the nose. :3

Rawr! Kon and me!

Additional pluses on this product:

No funny smell of any kind.

Wore it for a few hours, and I did not feel any irritation or discomforts whatsoever.

Pen-size eyeliner, which is easy to carry and store in my everyday makeup kit.

Swatches I made

So I did swatches on my hand. The first one is a swatch which I moisten it a bit to test if it's waterproof Unfortunately it smudged on my hand. The middle one is a single swatch, and the bottom is a double swatch.

So the negative part of the liner:

It's not a waterproof eyeliner. So if you tear up or sweat hard, it will smudge off.

Would I recommend this product?

Definitely! It's an affordable liner that's worth your money.

That's it! I hope you like my review. What other characters can you think of that needs face marks? I think the Vocaloid Matryoshka team have a lot of markings on their face.

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Ever wonder what I've been doing during friday nights? NO I DON'T GO TO CLUBS AND PARTY MY BUTT OFF. I don't really go to these bars and clubs. I don't have the money to spend there and I am not interested in getting drunk and all. lol
So anyway, during friday nights (late friday nights to be exact) I watch Tempest Films' Friday Night Blab from 10PM to 1PM. It's a livestream show that focuses on cosplay events and conventions, cosplay talk and issues, and even blind items.

I have been watching the show since episode two. Talking to the hosts and engaging in conversations with them thru the chatbox is really the fun part of it. You get the chance to share your opinions about the current topic that they are talking about.

The show's last episode debuts the new option in interacting: Skype video calls. Viewers can now express their thoughts live AND get to ask questions to the hosts and send out messages to the other viewers. Pretty amazing, huh?

I did try this feature and I got the chance to interact with the hosts and guests that I really like.

Skip to 01:28:56 - 01:36:55 to view my call. :)

Forgive my call. I did not prepare any question and all so I literally mumbled and froze for a second or two oh well. LOL. At least I had fun. And the hosts were really nice to me despite the fact that I was not able to interact that well during the video call. :)

Some announcements,

I am going to start doing video blogs! (after so many ages preparing. LOL) I now have a tripod which would really help me while I take my videos (better alternative than the books I have). I am still planning on what to film but I have been thinking of making a FAQs video about my blog, cosplay and being an otaku. I hope I can start preparing very soon. ^^.

Do you have any questions that I can answer on my upcoming VLog? Comment below and I might include it in my list.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Hey everyone! So I had my ward duty this week that's why I was MIA here for a few days. I can't seem to find time to blog because going on duty takes a lot of energy and I usually slump on my bed the moment I get home.

Anyway, I am back with news about Zamboanga Cosplay: the upcoming cosplay event brought to you by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University..

There will be a cosplay for a cause event open to all cosplayers on December 5, 2012 from 1:00PM to 6:00PM at the Ateneo de Zamboanga Campus, La Purisima St. Zamboanga City in line with the celebration of the Ateneo Fiesta 2012. Registration fee is at 100 pesos for adult participants and 50 pesos for kids below 12 years old.

Registration is ongoing and will end on November 30, 2012. Participants may go to the Admissions Office or Campus Ministry to know more about the event. These offices are located at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, La Purisima St. Zamboanga City.

Friday, 23 November 2012

Beauty Bloggers Headquarters is like a groupie for beauty bloggers all over the world. It's a nice way to meet new friends who are on the same field as I am.

I know that Cee's Wonderland is a cosplay blog but I do write about cosplay makeup. It's kind of a big thing when you are portraying a character. I mean, you can't just wear the costume, you have to look like the character. :)

Anyway, the groupie has some kind of task every month. This month's task is entitled: "In the Beginning".

How I began blogging. How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging back when I was in my last year in high school (I'm in my last year in college so that's about 4 years). Our computer teacher introduced us to blogging, taught us how to start and what to blog. It was a good experience but I was not really into it back then. We did not have Internet connection yet so I was not an avid blogger during those days. But I kept a blog and it's still standing as of today. But it is a bit disorganized and with no main topic or recent post. I just can't seem to take it down just yet.

What/who inspired you to start blogging?

The person who really brought me back to blogging is another blogger and cosplayer, Jin Joson. She inspired me not just to start blogging again, but also start a new hobby: cosplaying. She blogged about the joy of being with friends while cosplaying. Her posts about their adventures during conventions and photoshoots made me laugh. Her words have driven me to start writing about my adventures too, cosplaying, being with friends and the like. Maybe my adventures, my post and all can inspire others too, like what Jin did to me.

Did you tell your family and friends about your blog? If so, what was their reaction? Are they supportive or "in the dark" about your blogging?

My family, especially my mom knows about m blogging. And she's not really supportive or against it in any way. I feel like she does not see the importance of keeping an online journal. And I don't see a problem in that. Some of my friends read my blog, and I am quite happy about that. At least not only online acquaintances knows about my adventures, which is nice.

What goals or dreams did you have for your blog when you started? Have you accomplished them?

I have not actually thought about any goals when I started blogging. I just wanted to write about my adventures as a cosplayer, enjoy the features of blogging that social networking sites lack, connecting to other people with the same interests. But as I get to know more about blogging, I dreamed of turning my blog into a how-to site that can help other cosplayers start and get through their cosplay project. I am yet to start realizing that dream, and if Ill have a lot of time, I'll start doing more tutorials and how-to's, and maybe answer some FAQs along the way.

If you could give your beginner-blogger-self one tip of advice, what would it be?

Start blogging and don't stop! I know thinking of a topic to write and what to write is somewhat the hardest part in blogging. But if you start a new post and a few sentences, I know the ideas won't stop coming until you realize that you've finished the post.

What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a blogger?

My favorite part is that I get to meet other people with the same interest. Because of blogging, I found a group of bloggers based in my hometown that taught me a lot of things. Thanks to them, I took my blog to the next level, and it's coming out very nicely. The least favorite part is that blogging takes a lot of my time. I try very hard to write something new everyday and that's difficult considering that I am a graduating this year and juggling between requirements, school work and blogging is hard. But I am managing it. So far, so good.

What does your blog name mean? How did you decide on it?

I am a big fan of Disney's Alice in Wonderland - both animated film and Tim Burton's version. I consider the cosplaying world as Wonderland, and I am like Alice exploring the amazing and fantastic place.

Phew! I did not expect that it will end up a long post. LOL. Anyway, thank you for reading and come back soon!

Thursday, 22 November 2012

At last I have sorted out a few photos and post-processed it to the best of my abilities. Anyway, today I present to you the:

Hime Gyaru Afternoon (Photoshoot)

So this is the final output of what I have been working for last month. The shoot was about a couple of weeks ago but I was only able to reorganize everything just recently. I am planning to post one set at a time, from the final set (which is this one) to the behind-the-scene and spoof set. LOL. Watch out for those!

Anyway, I would like to thank the following people for supporting us all the way:Jannie of Jannieology for our wonderful makeup.Gail of GairuD and Ishan of eminaheartnet for accompanying us.Marigin of Redpockybox for being the photographer.

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Hi guys! It's really nice to be a little more active here. I've been sorting out what to post and I found out that there are still a few more sets of shoots and outtakes that I got to write about. I hope you guys will enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed doing the shoots and all.

Anyway, less than 35 days before Christmas and here I am along with a few bloggers acting like Santa's elves and bringing you pre-Christmas gifts that you will definitely love.

Joining is really simple! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter app below.Giveaway will end on December 3, 2012 and is open to all PHILIPPINE based readers. Winners will be announced shortly after.

Sunday, 18 November 2012

Forgive me. I have already sorted out the photos and they only lack editing. I've been quite busy with school to do the photo editing but now I have enough time to write finish the photos, words and all.

The Hime Gyaru set will be posted very very soon! And as early as now, I want to thank a few people who helped us princesses all the way:

I think I still need to work out on the eyes - the eyeshadow, liner and mascara. Maybe I'll apply fake lashes next time.

I better improve next time. I'll buy a pink wig and redo it all over again. this time I'll darken everything a bit, emphasizing on the eyes. Been wanting to cosplay Luka Megurine for a while now. I am really into cosplaying couples, I don't know why. (ie: Ichigo and Rukia, Kyon and Haruhi.. maybe Gakupo and Luka next time?)